Chemical compounds and use

ABSTRACT

##STR1## where X is 1, 2 or 3; Y is Cl or Br; R 1  is tert-butyl (t-butyl) and R 2  is H or lower alkyl of 1 to 4 carbons. The preferred group of compounds is where OH is at the 4 position, R 1  is at the 3 position and R 2  is at the 5 position of the phenyl ring. The most preferred compound is where X is 2, R 1  and R 2  are both t-butyl at the 3 and 5 positions of the phenyl ring and OH is at the 4 position of the phenyl ring and Y is Br. The compounds are useful as antioxidants and flame retardants.

BRIEF STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION

This invention is directed to compounds of the formula (I) ##STR2##where X is 0, 1, 2 or 3; Y is Cl or Br; R₁ is tert-butyl (t-butyl); andR₂ is H or lower alkyl of 1 to 4 carbons, e.g., methyl, ethyl, propyl orbutyl (e.g., t-butyl).

The preferred group of compounds is where OH is at the 4 position, R₁ isat the 3 position and R₂ is at the 5 position of the phenyl ring. Themost preferred compound is where X is 2, R₁ and R₂ are both t-butyl atthe 3 and 5 positions of the phenyl ring and OH is at the 4 position ofthe phenyl ring and each Y is Br.

The compounds of formula I are useful as antioxidants and flameretardants in polymers and in articles of manufacture.

The compounds of formula I are substantially nonblooming in comparisonto most other antioxidants.

The present invention is useful in polymers used for electricalinsulation, in heat shrinkable tubing and other parts, e.g., end capsmade of polyethylene and used for electrical purposes, as well as inother plastic (polymer) parts used as utensils or as parts of the tubsof washing machines to prevent them from becoming brittle due to loss ofantioxidant (because of soapy water causing the antioxidants commonlyused to leach out of the plastic).

The compounds of formula (I) are particularly useful in heat recoverable(heat shrinkable) articles of manufacture such as tubing, end caps,boots and other hollow articles to which heat is applied to causeshrinkage because the lack of blooming permits coating with adhesiveswhich may contain metal particles.

Polymers in which the compounds of formula (I) are useful in thisinvention include all thermoplastics and thermohardening (thermosetting)plastics in which antioxidants are employed. Suitable plastics mayinclude polyolefins such as polyethylene (high and low density),polypropylene, polybutylene, substituted polyolefins such as halogenatedolefin polymers and copolymers of same and silane grafted polyethylenes,e.g., grafted using a silane such as vinyl trimethoxy silane as thegrafting agent. (See U.S. Pat. No. 3,086,242.)

The compounds of formula (I) would also be useful with any polymer whoseuseful properties are adversely affected by oxidative degradation suchas esters, amides (e.g. nylon), phenolics, acrylics, rubber, urethanes,vinyls, styrenes (e.g. ABS), and others used in the plastics industry.See the Text PLASTICS IN THE MODERN WORLD by E. G. Couzens and V. E.Yarsly ©1968, published by Pelican Books, Inc., Maryland U.S.A., forother polymers used in industry and useful in this invention.

Prior art patents showing heat recoverable plastics and articles includeU.S. Pat. Nos. 4,048,129, 4,016,356, 3,981,546 and 3,959,052. It shouldbe understood that heat recoverable articles are meant to include thosethat are treated by irradiation or chemically treated to produce sucharticles.

Compounds of this invention may be combined with other antioxidantsuseful in a polymer which include:

    ______________________________________                                        ANTIOXIDANTS                                                                  Commercial Name                                                                             Chemical Name                                                   ______________________________________                                        Irganox 1010  tetrakis[methylene-3(3',5'-di-tert-butyl-                                     4'-hydroxyphenyl)propionate]methane                             Santonox R    4,4'-thiobis(3-methyl-6-tert-butyl-                                           phenol)                                                         Irganox 1024  N,N'--bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy-                                        hydrocinnamoyl)hydrazine                                        Cyanox 1729   Bis(4-tert-butyl-3 hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl                                       benzyl) dithiolterephthalate                                    Ethyl 330     1,3,5,Trimethyl-2,4,6-tris[3,5-di-tert-                                       butyl-4 hydroxy benzyl]-benzene                                 Agerite White di-B-naphthyl-p-phenylene-diamine                               Irganox 1035  thiodiethylene bis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-                                         4-hydroxy) hydrocinnamate                                       ______________________________________                                    

Other suitable commercial antioxidants include Good-Rite 3114, Plastanox2246, Naugard 449, Naugard XL-1, Irganox 1093, Irganox 1076, Topanol CA,and Irganox 565. Other antioxidants in the art may be found in the textANTIOXIDANTS, RECENT DEVELOPMENTS, CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY REVIEW NO. 127,by M. William Ronney, Noyes Data Corporation ©1979, Library of Congress,Catalog No. 79-84425.

In using the comound of formula (I) in a polymer the concentration usedshould preferably be between 0.05 to 10% of the weight of the polymerwhen used as an antioxidant and at concentrations as high as 150%(generally 50 to 100%) of the weight of the polymer for fire resistantcompositions.

In FIGS. 1 to 7 there are shown various forms of the invention. FIGS. 1to 5 illustrate hollow articles as does FIG. 7.

FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a tube 20 formed of material such as vinyltrimethoxysilane grafted polyethylene and containing a compound offormula (I).

The tube is formed by conventional technology to be heat shrinkablee.g., see U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,086,242 and 3,303,243. See U.K. patentapplication No. 1601063 published October 21, 1981 for an illustrationof chemically produced heat shrinkable material. Conventionalcross-linked silane grafted polyethylene is shown in U.S. Pat. No.3,086,242. The material of U.S. Pat. 3,086,242 will be modified by theincorporation of the comound of formula (I) as disclosed herein.

The tube 20 is shrunk as shown in FIG. 3 over electrical cable 21 toprovide an insulative protective cover which will protect againstmoisture and other deleterious substances.

FIGS. 4 and 5 illustrate a heat recoverable end cap 25 (a closed at oneend hollow article) with FIG. 5 showing the end cap 25 shrunk over apair of wires 26 and 27. The end cap 25 is made by using the polymermaterial of the invention in a manner well known in the art.

FIGS. 6 and 7 show a sheet 30 of material of the invention rolled overupon itself as in FIG. 7 to form a tube. The sheet may be heatrecoverable or not depending upon the desires of the end user. A heatrecoverable sheet may be made by methods known in the art.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side view of a tube;

FIG. 2 is an end view of a tube;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the tube of FIGS. 1 and 2 shrunk over wireor cable;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of an end cap;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the end cap of FIG. 4 shrunk over a pairof wires;

FIG. 6 is a top view of a sheet of polymer material of the invention;and

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the sheet of FIG. 6 rolled up uponitself to form a tube.

The following examples are illustrative of the practice of the inventionand are not intended for purposes of limitation. All parts are by weightand all temperatures are in centigrade.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of the preferred compound of formula (I) whereeach Y is Br and each R is t-butyl at the 3- and 5-position and OH is atthe 4-position and X=2

The preferred compound of formula (I) is prepared in two steps asfollows:

To 1500 ml. of methyl alcohol is added 642 grams of thiodiethylenebis(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy)hydrocinnamate. The mixture is stirredand heated to about 55° C. to effect solution. At this point 80 grams of95% hydrazine (20% excess) is added and heating is continued for threehours. The mixture is cooled and the crystals which separate arefiltered and dried. A total of 210 grams of(3,5-di-tert-butyl-4-hydroxy)hydrocinnamic acid hydrazide is obtained(72% yield). This material has a melting point of 158° C. (Perkin-ElmerDSC-2 calorimeter at a heating rate of 10° C. per minute). The yield maybe increased by re-using the mother liquor in place of fresh methanol,by concentrating the mother liquor, or by diluting the mother liquorwith a poor solvent for the hydrazide (such as water).

The dried hydrocinnamic acid hydrazide is used without furtherpurification. A mixture of 29.2 grams of the hydrazide and 46 grams ofpowdered tetrabromophthalic anhydride is added to 1000 ml. of water andstirred at room temperature for about two hours. The temperature is thengradually increased to 100° C. over a 2-hour period, with stirring. Theproduct obtained is filtered while hot, washed with hot water and dried.The yield was 64 grams (85%) of the compound having a small endotherm at286° C. and a main melting point at 303° C. (Perkin-ElmerDSC-2calorimeter at a heating rate of 10° C. per minute and with anoxygen atmosphere, which demonstrates the resistance of the compound tooxidation by atmospheric oxidation). It is substantially white and isinsoluble in boiling water.

EXAMPLE 2

Using the compound of formula (I) prepared in Example 1, a number ofcompositions are prepared by mixing the proportions of ingredients(percent by weight shown) into a polymer comprising 9% vinyl acetate-91%ethylene copolymer (commercially known as U.S. Industrial Chemicals UE635) or low density polyethylene, on a heated, two-roll mill, moldinginto a sheet approximately 75 mils thick as shown below:

(i) 3 parts by weight of the compound of formula (I) and 100 parts byweight of the polymer (VE635); and

(ii) 10 parts by weight of the compound of formula (I) and 90 parts byweight of the polymer (polyethylene) (NA 254); and

(iii) 0.047 part by weight of the compound of formula (I) and 100 partsby weight of a polyethylene polymer (commercially known as U.S.Industrial Chemicals NA 254).

I claim:
 1. The compound of the formula I ##STR3## where X is 1, 2 or 3;Y is Cl or Br; R₁ is tert-butyl and R₂ is H or lower alkyl of 1 to 4carbons.
 2. The compound of claim 1 where OH is at the 4 position, R₁ isat the 3 position and R₂ is at the 5 position of the phenyl ring.
 3. Acomposition comprising a polymer and the compound of claim 1 or 2 in anamount sufficient to impart flame retardant and antioxidant properties.4. A composition comprising a polyolefin polymer and the compound ofclaim 1 or 2 in an amount sufficient to impart flame retardant andantioxidant properties.
 5. A heat shrinkable article comprising apolymer and the compound of claim 1 in an amount sufficient to impartflame retardant and antioxidant properties.
 6. The composition of claim3 in which the amount of the compound of formula (I) is about 0.05 to150% based on the weight of the polymer.
 7. A heat shrinkable articlecomprising polyethylene crosslinked with vinyl trimethoxysilane and thecompound of claim 1 in an amount sufficient to impart flame retardantand antioxidant properties.
 8. The compound ##STR4##
 9. A compositioncomprising the compound of claim 8 in a polymer in an amount sufficientto impart flame retardant and antioxidant properties.
 10. A compositioncomprising the compound of claim 8 in a heat shrinkable polymer in anamount sufficient to impart flame retardant and antioxidant properties.11. The composition of claim 9 in which the polymer is a polyolefin. 12.The composition of claim 11 in which the polyolefin is polyethylene orpolypropylene.